The disclosed embodiments relate generally to methods and systems for creating printed objects having three-dimensional structure.
Printing systems are no longer limited to devices that print text and images on two-dimensional substrates. Today, structural printing systems must be able to print text and images on a substrate, and also perform structural functions such as cutting, perforating or, and scoring for folds so that the resulting substrate can be manipulated into a three-dimensional structure. Greeting cards, pop-up books, and packages are examples of printed substrates that can move from a flat structure to a three dimensional structure through manipulation of folds, creases, cuts and perforations.
Current structural printing systems implement a set of instructions and can mass-produce similar items, but the systems have limited ability to customize print jobs with structural features. These limitations can cause delays in assembly time as the system is reprogrammed or manually manipulated to change images and/or substrates.
This document describes systems that solve one or more of the problems listed above.